Effect of the methanol extract of the leaves of M. paradisiaca on gastric juice volume and gastric juice pH of indomethacin-ulcerated rats:- Nwaeze, Temple A.

ABSTRACT

Plants have been the basis for medicinal treatments through much of human history and such traditional medicine is still widely in use today such as the leaves of M. paradisiaca . The objectives of this work were to examine the phytochemical constituents. acute toxicity and lethality and effects of the methanol extract of the leaves of M. paradisiaca on gastric juice volume and gastric juice pH of indomethacin-ulcerated rats. The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed that the plant leaves contained alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, carbohydrates, glycosides, proteins, steroids, terpenoids and fats and oil but resins, reducing sugars and acidic compounds were not detected. The extract at the tested doses [ l 00, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight (b.w)] caused significant (p <0.05) and dose-dependent decreases in the gastric juice volumes of the rats in the test groups compared to the value obtained for the rats in the control group. Significant (p <0.05) and dose-related increases in gastric juice pH of the rats in the test groups compared to that of the rats in the control group was also brought about by the extract. The effects of the 400 mg/kg b.w of the extract were similar to those of the standard antiulcer drug, famotidine at the dose of 50 mg/kg b.w. The results indicate that the methanol extract of the leaves of M. paradisiaca contains some pharmacological active principles which may help in the modulation of defensive factors through an improvement of gastric cy toprotection and acid reduction in a dose-dependent manner.